Color Rules for Small Spaces 2013 Ideas from HGTV

When it comes to coloring your apartment, it's definitely okay to go outside the lines.

By : Anne Krueger

True or false: An all white color palette will make an apartment look larger. False! This is a common misconception of small-space design, along with the idea that less furniture makes an apartment feel larger. Instead, carefully placed furnishings and carefully chosen color can create an inviting space with style way beyond its diminutive size.

The number one color rule for a small space? There are no rules  really. If you want your apartment to look like your favorite Pucci scarf, do your thing. The goal should always be to make your rented space personal and appeal to you. Having said that, the experts who deal with color and interior design all the time do know a thing or two. Here are their tips and tricks.

Choose Sharp Colors

One of the best ways to expand a space is with very clear colors, says designer Mark McCauley, ASID, author of Interior Design for Idiots. "Choose a palette of sharper colors as opposed to duller ones. Sharp as in bright chintzes mixed with colorful plaids or really hot reds and electric blues, yellows and greens (with plenty of air between the pieces). Color combinations with negative space in between will enhance the space's clarity and openness."

Color Unexpected Accents

Bring splashes of color to a radiator, the inside of a bookshelf or a windowsill to bring excitement and depth to a room. If you're lucky enough to have a foyer or hall, paint that a dark color and ease into a lighter shades in the living room, which will make it feel more spacious by comparison.

Create a Focal Wall

While some designers frown on the idea of painting one wall a different or deeper color than the others, it can work wonders in a small space, says designer and actress Libby Langdon, a contributor to HGTV's Small Space, Big Style. "Don't be afraid of bold colors," she says. "Sometimes a darker color on one wall can make it recede, making the space look larger."

Connect Spaces With Shades of Color

Just as different wall colors can divide your apartment into different work areas, different shades of the same color can unite all the rooms, as can a pattern that's repeated. "In a small space, in particular, these little touches the pillow that matches the lampshade fabric, the style of the mirror that echoes a side table can all add up to a cohesive space," McCauley says.

Get Spicy in the Kitchen

Apartment kitchens are a great place to use color, says kitchen designer Jason Laudau of Amazing Spaces, LLC (www.amazingspacesllc.com) in New York. "Hang up the china you never use it saves space, adds color and glams up the kitchen," he says. "Or be very bold and paint the walls a trendy color. Red is hot!"

Go Bold in the Bathroom

Sure, something pastel in the peachy-pink palette will look great in the bathroom especially when you look in the mirror and see your rosy complexion. But for major affect, increase the bodacious scale. That's what designer Ron Marvin www.ronmarvin.com (www.ronmarvin.com) did in his New York City apartment bathroom that's painted a rich, chocolate brown.

Vamp It Up

Beautiful faux finishes and specialty techniques can add a lot of character to a small space, says designer Dawn Burns-Pratt, ASID. "Painting the ceiling a darker color and extending the same color down the wall about 14 inches, or using metallic stripes in that same space with a chair rail and lighter color below looks terrific and expands the appearance of the space," she says.

Add Color That Travels

The wonderful thing about color is that it's a really cheap way to decorate, and it can be added in non-paint ways, says designer Alice Fakier, this year's HGTV Design Star runner-up and host of Ask Alice on HGTV.com. "Apartment dwellers can get color on their walls by painting big canvases, hanging fabric or using wall decals," she says. And when you're ready for a larger space? You can take your color with you and go.

Stretch It With Stripes

Draw the eye up with a wall of colorful stripes, says Langdon. Or paint the ceiling a lighter color than the walls to make it seem airier.

Don't Forget Black

Whatever colors you choose for your small space, add one object that is black, says designer McCauley. "The black item  say, in a torchere lamp or a frame  will help ground the space and clarify the other colors. Try it, it works!"

Experiment With Color
Before you start slapping paint all over the blank canvas that is your apartment walls, consider these "baby-step" options.
 Experiment with 2 ounce samples. Many paint companies, including California Paints and Benjamin Moore offer them. That's enough paint to cover a 1’ by 2’ area, which should give you a good idea of what your chosen hue really looks like. Make sure to view it in natural and artificial light.

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2013 Dining Room Furniture Collection : BHG Furniture

Whether you are looking for cottage casual, traditional with a twist or contemporary sophistication, the Better Homes and Gardens furniture collection is designed to meet your style needs.

Classic Home Renaissance Dining Table

Make an elegant statement in your dining room with the European feel of the renaissance dining table and side chairs. Offering the best of both worlds, it features classic design elements and traditional styling while offering leaves that extend the table perimeter from 56" to 76".

Classic Home Sideboard

The perfect addition to any dining room, this classic sideboard was designed with entertaining in mind. It offers serving space, plenty of storage and stylish elements like turned legs and an open shelf that complement a variety of decorating styles.

Classic Home Credenza Hutch

With old world inspiration and a lightly distressed vintage cherry finish, the softly curved Classic Home credenza comes with wine bottle storage, three drawers, four doors and adjustable shelves. Add the credenza hutch to meet all your display and storage needs.

Classic Home Balustrade Dining Table

When only a statement will do, this formal dining room table with graceful Queen Anne inspired chairs is the perfect centerpiece to your home. The table expands from 82" to 118" for all your entertaining needs.

Classic Home Credenza

This credenza is simple yet elegant and features a wine bottle storage as well as generous space for plates, glasses and silverware. Multiple drawers and adjustable shelving provide a variety of options to keep your flatware and linens organized and out of the sight, with a perfect buffet serving space on top.

American Cottage Drawer Dresser

This functional and fashionable wine storage cabinet with zinc wrapped top offers adjustable and reversible shelves for multiple storage options. The delightful open back design of the coordinating cottage cameo arm chairs gives them character and charm.

American Cottage Rectangular Dining Table

Not too formal, not too casual, this rectangular dining table is just right for creating a warm and welcoming dining room. The upholstered back side chairs add a comfortable sophistication to your dining space makes a statement in style.

American Cottage Cabinet

This cottage cabinet is packed with unexpected yet thoughtful elements like adjustable glass shelves and a beautiful elm finish offset by the stunning white beadboard back panel. It offers abundant display space for showcasing favorite dinnerware and collections, as well as hidden storage for linens, silverware and serving dishes.

American Cottage Sideboard

This is one sideboard that just keeps on giving. In addition to beauty and storage, it offers a drop down, pullout drawer that you can serve from and a convenient electrical outlet that makes it easy to keep hot foods hot.

American Cottage Round Dining Table

Handsome turned legs and architectural details add to the casual charm of the round dining leg table and coordinating cottage cameo side chairs. A casually elegant look, it offers the perfect combination of natural wood with warm painted accents.

Modern Expressions Perspective Cabinet

Energetic and sophisticated, the perspective cabinet with striking mirror back panel adds contemporary verve to a dining room. Its design is so distinctive that china and glassware look as though they're on display in a gallery setting.

Modern Expressions Ellipse Table

The double pedestal ellipse table with brushed nickel hardware accents and radius chairs create a dramatic dining room setting that is stylish, urban and unforgettable.

Modern Expressions Credenza

Designed as a multipurpose piece with a nod to the past and an eye on the future, this credenza makes a statement in a room. Behind the graphite wood doors are smart features like removable wine bottle storage, adjustable wooden shelves and a drop front drawer for electronics for today's storage and entertaining needs.

Modern Expressions Radius Table

For style seekers of all ages, the radius dining table with fabric chairs makes dining in fun again with the dramatic effect of clean lines and light proportions. Skip the reservations and enjoy the beauty of your own dining room with the contemporary confidence of this collection.

2013 Colorful Rugs

If your bedroom needs a pick-me-up, a splash of color should do the trick. Get inspired by these beautiful, brightly hued bedrooms from Rate My Space and Designers' Portfolio.

By : Shannon Petrie

New Take on Traditional

The pattern on this rug by Company C is inspired by wrought iron gates. It's also available in persimmon which features brown, yellow, orange and rust. Both look beautiful paired with solid furnishings in coordinating colors. 

Island-Inspired

Bring the relaxed feel of a beach vacation to your home with Company C's Bermuda collection. This rug takes plaid to a new level with bright colors like kiwi, marigold and coral. Pair it with coordinating bedding for an overall tropical feel.

Not Your Grandmother's Floral

If you're not a fan of traditional florals, go bold with oversized graphic flowers in a mix of modern colors. Start with a rug like this by Surya, and your room's color palette is chosen for you.

A Symphony Underfoot

The Serenade Rug is a lovely mix of scrolls, florals and flourishes in green, blue, periwinkle and citron. This rug by Company C would be at home in a traditional or contemporary setting.

Instrument of Fine Design

The trumpet vine is the star of this rug in a mix of modern colors. Rug by Company C.

Circle Back

Surya teamed with Country Living magazine to create this rug and others in the collection. White, circular vines add an interesting shape to this colorful, eye-catching rug.

Go Coastal

You don't have to live in a beach home to sport this sea-inspired rug by Jaipur and Coastal Living magazine. "Schooled" would make a strong design statement in any home.

2013 Summer Living Room Decorating Ideas from BHG

Colorful decor and easy projects give this living room a showstopping summer look.

All it took to give this room a summer makeover was a few splashes of color and creative furniture rearranging.A new yellow and seafoam green color scheme brightens walls and accessories using clever and affordable tricks.
Sectional seating is nothing if not flexible. Simply reconfiguring the pieces creates an entirely new look. Summer is full of visitors, so foster conversation by turning two sections to face each other. Add a table where guests can place drinks and snacks.
Carpet tiles are a fun and practical alternative to an area rug. Different colors or motifs can be arranged and rearranged in creative designs. This cream and seafoam green checkered pattern adds a dose of color to the floor. Applying a new color scheme to a neutral room can be overwhelming. To make the process easier, find one inspirational piece to guide your redesign.
For this living room's summer look, a graphic green and white tablecloth served as the jumping-off point. Thanks to curtain clips, tablecloths became the room's curtain panels.

Solutions to Make a Small Home Livable 2013 Decorating Ideas

Living with limited space can be a challenge. See how these homeowners streamlines and uses smart storage to make tight rooms livable.

Double Duty

When space is at a premium, turn seating into storage. Here, a banquette located across from the kitchen island houses small appliances and dog food beneath the cushioned seats.

Perfect Pairing

Even small homes can live large, thanks to smart furniture choices and use of space. When space is limited, keep scale in mind and find furniture that isn't oversize. A glass coffee table and sofa and chairs with exposed legs do the trick in this tight living room.

Expand the Space
Mirrors reflect light, which will make a space feel larger than it is. This living room is filled with dark, rich finishes, but the space is anything but cavelike thanks to large windows which let in lots of natural light and plenty of reflective surfaces, such as this mirror above the fireplace.

Crisp and Clean
Creating storage in a small kitchen can be tricky. Designing a storage smart island such as this one is the perfect way to maximize a tight space. And the centered pulls add a nice personal touch by making the cabinet doors look like old fashioned bins.

Lighten Up
The amount of light is always important in a small space. In the dining room, shades that close from either the bottom up or top down allow flexibility in both light control and privacy. The padded window seat offers another comfy spot to read or relax .

Display Cabinet
A dining room hutch can hold storage overflow from the kitchen. Items not used every day, such as serving dishes and linens, can be housed in a dining room hutch to make space for kitchen essentials in cabinets. Glass doors provide depth and allow you to display your finest dishware. Also, the all white walls of the dining room reflect sunlight and make the space appear larger.

Cozy Den
The same principles used in the living room are applied in the narrow den to create an inviting space. Shades of white and gray, plus a mirror above the sofa, reflect light, and appropriately scaled furniture comfortably fills the space. Consider placing a sleeper sofa in a den so it can double as a guest room.

Literary Arts
When wall space is limited, even books can serve as artwork. Here, stacked rather than upright books serve as pedestals and artful backdrops for a few favorite pieces in the den. Also, the light color painted trim and ceiling create the illusion of height in a tiny room.

Relaxation Station
Window seats maximize the functionality of small or awkward nooks. The bed and dresser in this bedroom take up most of the floor space, but a window seat tucked into a narrow nook adds a comfy seating area. Topped with a thick cushion and soft pillows, the master bedroom window seat becomes the perfect place to read and relax. And the pop of bright pink upholstery adds a nice contrast to the subtle hues of the rest of the room .

2013 Bedroom Color Schemes From BHG

Whether you crave a palette of bright colors or prefer a soothing scheme of neutrals for your bedroom, find inspiration from these bedrooms that showcase colors perfectly.

Peppy Color Scheme 

Coral-Orange + Aqua Blue + Latte White

Neutral walls and furniture in shades of similar warm white create a cloudlike backdrop for vibrant coral-orange and aqua blue. Abstract floral print shams on the bed provide the inspiration for the color scheme and the rest of the room's elements follow suit. To start your bedroom color scheme, find a pillow or bedspread with colors you love and build from there. Often, bedding comes in coordinated sets, but don't be afraid to break them up. Mix and match, or leave parts of the set out. For example, nix the bed skirt that matches the pillows and opt for a version in a solid color that blends with the rest of the bedding.

Fashion-Forward Color Scheme 

Slate + Lemon + Cloud 

The oh-so fashionable color palette of gray and yellow makes a bold statement in this petite bedroom. A rich slate on the walls leans heavily towards the blue end of the gray spectrum and is the star of the scheme. Cloud-color bedding continues the gray parade, and yellow on the pillows, ottomans, and accessories brings a partly sunny vibe to the chic grays.

Snowy White Color Scheme 

Pearl White + Cream + Black 

Evoking the look of freshly fallen snow, this cottage-style bedroom combines pearly whites with softer yellow-based whites for a look that is undeniably soothing and graceful. A mirrored nightstand and oval mirror above the bed break up the blanket of white, as do hints of black.

Modern Color Scheme 

Bright Sky Blue + Cool White + Warm Oak 

Blue is a quintessential classic, but its enduring legacy works in modern settings as well. To achieve the look, sky blue is used with crisp white as well as clean-lined furniture and accessories in this bedroom. The wall color, a shade lighter than the bedding and drapes, maintains the modern monochromatic color scheme, but pulls back the walls slightly to allow the other elements, such as the architectural bed in warm oak, to shine.

Classic Global Color Scheme 

Poppy Red + Mink Gray 

Gray gets pulled into the excitement of red, creating a traditional bedroom alive with global-inspired motifs. Red bedding and pillows turn a simple sleigh bed into a focal point and mink gray walls temper the rich red and crisp white palette. Block and ikat prints bring global flair to the space. The curtains dial back on red and rely on a palette of brown, black, and orange, a move that acknowledges the red's presence, but seeks to not overuse the crimson hue in the space.

Serene Green Color Scheme 

Seafoam Green + Tidal Blue + Surf White 

A beach-inspired color scheme strays from being too "theme-y" when there is nary a beach motif in sight. In this bedroom, seafoam green and watery blues evoke a seaside look, while traditional elements, such as the upholstered window cornice, an antique chair, and graceful headboard maintain a level of sophistication.

Elegant Neutral Color Scheme 

Antique Whites + Crisp White 

Forget the notion that your whites have to match. A mixed bag of neutrals can create a visually interesting space with a few simple tricks. Keep your palette of whites within the same family, so that they all share similar undertones. In this bedroom, warm whites in varying intensities color the walls, trim, and bedding. Texture and repetition also bring the palette to life. Using each color more than once makes the mixing look more intentional. Here, light mocha appears on the trim, stool cushions, and shams, while linen white colors the artwork and drapes.

Fresh Cottage Color Scheme 

Linen White + Sunny Yellow + Dove Gray 

White is a go-to choice for bedrooms because of its soothing, simple properties. Plus, it can be interpreted as modern, traditional, cottage, or vintage. In this cheery space, the neutral goes cottage, with splashes of yellow on the bedding and plenty of style specific accents, such as the wrought iron bed and eclectic gathering of accessories. Hints of gray keep the color palette fashion-forward.

Dramatic Color Scheme 

Navy Blue + Snow White + Lipstick Pink 

Dark colors equate with drama in a bedroom setting. For a more steady approach to drama, use a dark color in one large dose and let the rest of the room's elements remain bright. In this sophisticated bedroom, rich navy blue colors the walls and is a backdrop for the burlap white headboard, bench, and nightstand. Snow white bedding with lipstick pink trim and white drapes are also eye-catching against the deep blue.

Oceanside Color Scheme 

Watercolor Blue + Sandy White 

Simple, but hardly simplistic, a color palette of two is a welcoming break from a color-saturated world. In this light-filled room, the judicious use of white reflects the incoming natural light, making the blue walls appear almost iridescent. A more saturated palette on the painting above the bed serves as a contrast point and a reminder of just how light and delicate the rest of the room is.

Black & White Color Scheme 

Ebony + Powder White + Pale Citron 

Black and white are anything but basic when played out in a symphony of pretty patterns and textures. White drapes soften expansive walls and high ceilings. The fabric is thin, which makes the drapes floaty, rather than bulky. In a room that gets a lot of natural light or has high ceilings, an element with a bold visual presence will anchor the room. Here, a black upholstered bed grounds the space and a white geometric pattern unites the piece to the rest of the room. When incorporating color with black and white, go with a barely-there color to keep the room's emphasis on graphic elements. The muted citron walls in this room are subtle, but still add interest.

Natural Color Scheme 

Sage Green + Bark Brown + Swan White 

Colors and motifs from nature introduce charm to this quaint bedroom. The flowering branch fabric used on the window shade and bed skirt inspire the room's palette. A coordinating stripe fabric on the sham continues the green and brown color play and an ikat pillow offers an unexpected twist in motif. The pure white duvet, trim, and lampshade offer a clean counterpoint to the bedroom's muted colors. To avoid color overload, match paint swatches to a pattern, but then use the color at the top of the swatch for your walls. Here, the wall color has similar undertones to the browns in the room's fabrics, but is several shades lighter.

Perfectly Aged Color Scheme 

Country French Blue + Antique Whites 

Capture the charm and grace of a bygone era with a palette of blue and tan in shades that appear antiqued. Keep the blues reigned in and employ a limited range of shades to maintain a sense of elegance. Here, the wall color matches the blue in the bedding and table skirt perfectly. Take a little more liberty with the whites. Using pure shades alongside shades in varying degrees of antiquing gives the room a collected old-time look. Bright white linens and freshly painted white trim indicate that the room has been maintained and freshened, while the patina on the chair and aged white plates nod to the past.

Monochromatic Color Scheme 

Taupe + Cream + Squash 

Monochromatic color schemes are poised for success when the hues stop just short of the extremes. In this bedroom, a range of taupes colors everything including the bedding, furniture, and wall color, but the palette excludes the deepest, darkest of taupes. Sticking to the light and medium range taupes focuses the color scheme for a more polished look. Squash yellow makes a cameo on throw pillows and the tan trim unites the blocks of yellow to the rest of the room's palette.

Contemporary Grace Color Scheme 

Dove Gray + Tulip Pink 

Hints of pink bring a graceful air to a contemporary space. Gray and white patterns -- from the striped rug to the damask drapes and plaid wallpaper -- are subtle, yet add visual texture, while bright tulip pink punctuates the space. When introducing a bright accent color, use it at least three times in the room so it flows seamlessly.